


Being Neighbourly

by Magentas_Nightmare



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Abusive Past, F/M, Fluff, Marol!, Merle and Carol!, Merle being a caregiver fluff, Smut, Starting Over
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-06-29 17:34:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19835200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magentas_Nightmare/pseuds/Magentas_Nightmare
Summary: Carol has just left Ed and is trying her best to start over with her three-year-old daughter, but when her sitter backs out due to a family crisis she is left with nobody to watch Sophia while she starts her new job...





	1. Chapter 1

**_ We Found Each Other in the Dark - City and Colour _ **

**_ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bElhb7DCvQs> _ **

_* Just adding in songs that I was playing as I wrote this, songs that fit the mood of each chapter:)_

_Thanks for reading! Teagan xo_

* * *

**_ Being Neighbourly _ **

**_ – Chapter One _ **

“Well, Mrs. Peletier, I think you’ll make a great fit here.”

“Really? I mean, thank you!”

She was ecstatic; this wasn’t just a job, this was freedom. Carol shook her head and smiled politely as she reached across the table to shake the hand of her new boss. She hadn’t worked in years and was grateful that her community college from ten years ago was getting her foot through the door as a receptionist for a local dentist. Carol needed this more than most people.

“We’ll see you bright and early Monday morning then,” chuckled Dr. Horvath.

“Thanks so much. See you then.”

/

“YES!”

She punched the air when she was a safe distance from the building and let out a deep sigh of relief. The tiny one-bedroom apartment she’d rented for herself and Sophia was pitiful, but the rent was due soon, and she needed to make some money fast.

Leaving Ed was the scariest thing she’d ever been through, but she was safe now. Ed didn’t even know what town she was living in thanks to the court order and she could start over. Sophia was only 3-years-old, almost 4, and maybe she would be able to forget all the misery; Carol prayed that she could.

Carol even had a great sitter lined up who said she could pay at the end of the month. She was going to be OK now.

She walked the 6 blocks home with a spring in her step and a song in her heart. It felt like springtime when she was 10; like she could smell the grass growing and summer was teasing her onward. Good things were coming, she was sure of that…until she got home to find a letter taped to her door.

**_Carol,_ **

**_I’m so sorry, but I won’t be able to take Sophia for a while. I have a family crisis going on right now. My mother was injured in a car accident and she needs me. My daughter is taking care of Sophia today and she’s just fine. I’m so sorry. I know how much you need this help and I’ll be back as soon as I can be. If you aren’t too angry with me, I’ll still babysit her then._ **

**_Anna_ **

Hot tears rolled down her cheeks, her breath caught in her throat as she tried to hold back a whimper from leaving her mouth. She had restrained a lot of tears in her life.

Unable to stop it from overtaking her, she sank to the concrete outside her front door to sob for a moment before picking up Sophia. She had assured her new boss that childcare was taken care of and she was ready to work. Her lip trembled and she decided to let it go so that she wouldn’t cry in front of Sophia later.

_Just get it all out…let it go…you can’t let her see you upset like this…_

“Hey…you OK?”

Her heart fell through the pit of her stomach as her eyes moved up to meet with her neighbour from across the way. The building was set up with apartments facing each other across a concrete walkway. Carol’s tiny suite had a set of stairs going up to the second-floor units right outside her door and neighbours on all sides and across the corridor. It looked like more of an institution for inmates of some kind than an apartment complex, but it was all she could afford.

“I’m not OK…I don’t know what to do.”

She couldn’t fight it and something in his eyes said that it was OK to let go. Carol didn’t know him from Adam but there was a kindness in his eyes that she needed to see.

“Did someone hurt you?” he asked, looking around as if he’d catch the guy and teach him a lesson.

Carol got to her feet and insisted that it wasn’t anything like that. Her neighbour was a rough-looking guy with a slight limp and a brace on his knee from an accident, she presumed. He had a shaved head and wore dark shades most of the time. He rode a motorcycle and wore leather, but he had a friendly smile and had helped her unload some boxes when she moved in the month before. He seemed nice enough.

“I lost my sitter and I finally got a job all in the same hour…I don’t know what I’m going to do. I need this job.”

“Sorry to hear that…can I get you a cold drink or something?” he offered.

“Would you mind? It’s so hot today and I just walked from downtown.”

“Sure. Come on in.”

He led her across the hall to his place and pulled his keys from his leather vest to open the door.

“Sorry about the mess,” he noted as he walked past her to the kitchen.

The place looked fine, there was just a basket of laundry in the process of being folded from what she could see. In all honesty, her place was in more disarray than his.

He walked back to the front door where she was still standing and handed her a glass of lemonade with ice. Carol couldn’t help guzzling it in almost one sip, it was delicious, and she was dying of thirst.

“Nobody else to take her?” he asked. “She’s just a baby, huh?”

“She’s three…and the thing is that Mrs. Campbell was going to let me pay at the end of the month. I’m broke at the moment.”

“You left Atlanta in a hurry, hey?” he noted.

Carol could tell that he was seeking the reason that she was in such a position and she had nobody else to tell about her troubles, so she unburdened herself to the stranger across the hall.

“I had to leave her father…he was abusive.”

“I’m sorry for asking.”

“No, it’s OK. It feels good to tell someone.”

“You ain’t got nobody local, no family?”

“No, it’s just me and Sophia now.”

“Jesus. That ain’t right,” he said. “Wanna sit for a minute?”

Carol couldn’t help craving his kindness on a visceral level. She had been putting on a brave face for Sophia for weeks and needed to admit her weakness to someone. Nobody had been this way with her in such a long time, and it felt so good.

“Just for a minute…I need to go pick up Sophia.”

“What hours do you need a sitter for?” he asked.

“Monday to Friday 9-5…it’s hopeless,” she answered, trying to stop her voice shaking with emotion.

“Damn, that’s a tough spot you’re in, honey. I’m real sorry about that.”

“It’s OK. I’ll figure something out somehow. I really appreciate the drink and you just…stopping to see if I was OK,” she sniffed.

She couldn’t help tearing up again, just having someone show concern for her was too much to take.

“Hey now…shhh…it’s gonna be OK,” he said and before she could process it, he was sitting next to her on the couch, pulling her close.

Carol held the stranger for a good few minutes before letting him go and pulling herself together. Her hands came to rest on the cool smooth leather of his vest across his back and she didn’t want to let go but forced herself to eventually.

“Sorry,” she muttered when she realized that she had cried all over his white sleeveless undershirt.

“It’s all good, honey. Don’t you worry about that.”

“Thanks again,” she said as she got to her feet and wiped her face.

“It’ll work out,” he assured her.

“I’m sure it will. Thanks so much…Merle, right?”

“That’s me,” he smiled. “You ain’t alone in town, OK?”

“I’m not?”

“Nah, I’m right here if you need someone to talk to. I ain’t much, but I’m just across the hall.”

“You’re an angel,” she sighed.

“I don’t know if I’d go that far but I know what you’re going through. My dad was like Sophia’s.”

“Oh…sorry.”

“We can all survive people like that, Carol. There’s good on the other side of it.”

Carol felt like maybe there was hope after speaking to Merle and she was smiling again by the time she picked up Sophia.

“I’m so sorry my mom can’t take her right now,” Mrs. Campbell’s daughter said.

“It’s OK. I’ll figure something out.”

“I’d take her, but I work myself.”

“It’s fine,” she insisted.

Mrs. Campbell’s place was just down the street from her tiny apartment and she and Sophia walked home hand in hand.

“I’m hungry,” Sophia announced.

“How about some banana pancakes?” Carol smiled.

“Yay!”

Simple things still made Sophia happy and Carol wished all her problems could be solved by pancakes too.

Merle was out front when she got back and throwing his leg over the saddle of his bike as she smiled in his direction. He looked back at her and nodded with a quick smile, but his expression was almost nervous, and she couldn’t figure it out. He always looked so cool and collected that a nervous expression from him was totally out of place.

For the second time that day, Carol arrived home to a letter taped to her door, but this one was from him. She could tell it was a man’s handwriting and walked Sophia into the apartment before reading it.

Sophia was parked in front of the TV watching cartoons as Carol leaned her hip against the counter to unfold the piece of paper.

**_Carol,_ **

**_I know this isn’t the answer you’re looking for, but I could watch your little girl for a while until your regular sitter is available. I’m not a bad guy and I have a recent criminal record check from my last job if that helps. I won’t be offended if you’re not comfortable with the idea, but I hate to see a woman crying and I’m not working at the moment with my injured leg. I don’t know shit about taking care of babies, but I can follow instructions and I wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Anyway, let me know._ **

**_Merle_ **


	2. Chapter 2

**_ Ocean Eyes - Billie Eilish _ **

**_ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viimfQi_pUw> _ **

**_ Chapter Two _ **

Carol tossed the idea around and couldn’t see a problem with it. It wasn’t a standard solution to her problem, but nothing in her life was standard anymore and she had bills to pay.

She made pancakes for Sophia and watched cartoons with her until bedtime when she heard Merle’s bike pull up outside on the street.

Carol tucked Sophia into their shared bed and cuddled her until she drifted off before walking across the corridor to speak to Merle. With her own apartment door locked, she had a couple of minutes to discuss it with him.

She was in yoga pants and a floral top when she reached out to knock on his door and he answered in boxers and that same white undershirt he seemed to live in. His huge arms were hard to miss, and she had to consciously avoid staring. Something in his cool blue eyes made her trust him completely and left her hypnotized for a moment.

“Oh, hi…sorry to knock so late, but I wanted to talk to you about your letter.”

“It’s OK if it’s not OK with you,” he assured her. “I just figured I’d offer since I ain’t doing anything with my life right now anyway.”

“Actually, I’d really appreciate it if you could watch her for me.”

“Yeah? Well, like I said, she’ll be safe, but I really don’t know anything else about little ones, so you’d have to fill me in.”

“I could write it all out for you…I don’t start till Monday, so I still have the weekend to do that.”

“Does she go to the bathroom on her own? I ain’t really comfortable dealing with undressed kids if I can help it.”

“She’s fully trained, hasn’t needed help in a year now. She’s almost 4.”

“Well, I can feed her and take her to the park and stuff like that.”

“I can’t pay you till the end of the month…but my fridge is full, and all her toys are at my place.”

“Don’t worry about payin’ me,” he insisted.

“Spending all day with a three-year-old is no joke. I couldn’t have you do this for free.”

“I don’t need your money and I have the feeling that you two have been through the wringer already, just let me help you out.”

“You’re gonna make me cry again,” she smiled.

“No more cryin’ for you, honey. Just rest up this weekend before your new job and write me down an instruction manual for the kiddo. It’s gonna be OK.”

“I swear to God I’ll return the favour somehow,” she sighed.

“No need,” he insisted. “Have a good weekend, OK?”

“Thanks, you too.”

/

Saturday was spent relaxing with Sophia and writing some information out for Merle. Carol felt so much relief that she was playing music and singing along as Sophia coloured pictures. She would be starting preschool in the fall, but it was still early spring, and Sophia was still learning her ABCs and taking naps.

Carol was trying not to think about the way it felt to be held in Merle’s arms. The last thing she needed was to jump from one relationship to another before getting her life together first and Merle didn’t seem to be the relationship type anyway. She had seen Merle coming in late from the bar with a woman a few weeks back and heard some telltale moaning as she closed her eyes that night. He was free and single and easily 50 if he was a day, there’s no way he was looking to get caught up with a woman in her 30s with what he described as a baby.

_Was she being insane to leave her child with a man who knew nothing about children? Was she the most irresponsible woman on earth?_

She jotted down everything she could think of when it came to Sophia that Saturday: when she napped, what foods she liked, what cartoons would calm her down. Carol decided that she needed to prepare Sophia for her new babysitter with a quick introduction.

“Have you seen the man who lives across the hall?” she asked as the toddler’s attention was being absorbed by Bugs Bunny.

“Uh huh…he has a motorcycle.”

“Well, your regular sitter isn’t able to look after you for a few weeks so…you’ll be spending the day with him while I’m at work instead.”

Sophia looked concerned about the change.

“He’s very nice, honey. His name is Merle and he’s a very nice person.”

“He’s not like dad?”

“Nothing like dad, honey. Most men are nothing like your dad and I will never have you around someone like that again.”

“OK.”

“Are you scared of him?”

“A little…”

“What if I introduce you and you let me know how you feel about it? The thing is, Sophia…I need this job and he offered to help us…I don’t have anyone else to help me right now.”

Her voice betrayed her desperation and she hated to come across as weak to her daughter. Carol wanted to make her feel secure in the world, like nothing could ever hurt them, but that just wasn’t true. The world could chew you up and spit you out and it was hard to hide that fact from her child.

“Don’t be sad,” Sophia said. “It’s OK.”

“Will you meet him?”

“OK.”

Carol took her by the hand across the hall and hoped that Merle wouldn’t mind her bringing Sophia over unannounced.

“Hey,” he smiled, looking first at Carol and then down at Sophia.

“Hi, I hope you don’t mind, but I thought it might be nice for her to meet you before she’s with you all day…might make your day easier on Monday,” she hinted.

“Good idea,” he grinned. “Come on in.”

He backed up as Sophia walked cautiously into his home and sat on a chair in the corner.

“You thirsty, princess? Want some lemonade?”

“Yes, please.”

“Wow! Check those manners,” he smiled. “I could learn a thing or two from you, kiddo.”

Carol checked her daughter’s response as Merle left the room to grab a drink for her and all looked well.

“He’s nice, right?”

“Yeah,” Sophia smiled.

“There ya go,” Merle said handing over the drink to her and sitting down on the couch next to Carol.

“I wrote out most of what you’d need to know…I can’t thank you enough for this, Merle.”

She handed over the papers and he handed over his latest criminal record check.

“Besides that one arrest for vandalism when I was a kid, I’m all good,” he whispered.

“Not worried about vandalism,” she assured him.

Merle scanned the papers and read that Sophia liked grilled cheese sandwiches and Bugs Bunny cartoons.

“You’re in luck, princess. I make a mean grilled cheese sandwich.”

“You cook?” Sophia asked with confusion.

“I sure do. I live alone so I have to cook, or I’d get nothing to eat,” he smiled.

“Do you have cartoons?” she asked.

“Yep. Got a bunch of satellite channels, hundreds of ‘em. You could watch TV all day and not see the same cartoon twice.”

Sophia seemed at ease and Carol was excited to find that Merle wasn’t awkward at talking to kids. Merle found his remote and showed Sophia how to use it to find cartoons as he continued to speak with Carol.

“How do I get a kid to take a nap?” he asked. “Do I just tell her it’s nap time?”

“She falls asleep on the couch after lunch usually if you just give her her blanket and it’s not always the same time every day.”

“That works.”

“You’re sure about this?”

“It’s gonna be fine. She’ll be safe with me, I promise.”

“I’m sure she will…it’s just a lot of hours out of your day and all.”

“I wouldn’t have offered if it was a problem.”

Sophia accidentally tipped over her lemonade then and just stared at Merle wide-eyed and waiting for yelling to begin.

“Hey,” he said softly. “It’s OK.”

Still, Sophia cried a little, fully expecting to get into trouble like when she lived with her father. Merle got up to find a towel as Sophia curled up in her mother’s arms for assurance that it was OK.

Merle mopped up the tiny pool of lemonade from the carpet and then turned his attention to the little girl looking at him with fear.

“I wanna tell you something, Sophia. OK?”

“…ok.”

“You’re never gonna get yelled at with me. I wouldn’t yell at a little girl or hit a child in a hundred years. You didn’t do nothing wrong. OK? It’s just an accident.”

“You mean it?” she checked.

“I promise you that. You’re safe with me, Sophia.”

“OK,” she nodded.

“And if I’m not mistaken, I think I got some older cartoons on here for ya. I might watch a little Bugs Bunny myself from time to time,” he winked.

Merle picked up the remote to locate Teletoon Retro and sure enough, it was the Flintstones playing and Sophia smiled.

“Merry Melodies is on after this,” he noted.

“Thank you…”

“Just call me Merle.”

“Thank you, Merle.”

Carol was stunned at how easily he took to dealing with Sophia and she knew it was going to be OK. She took Sophia home within the hour and Merle reminded her to relax over the weekend and not worry about anything.

“So, she won’t be interfering with your personal life at all?” Carol asked.

It was a cheap tactic and a backward way of asking if he was single, but she didn’t care. Something about a big tough-looking man who was good with kids left her very interested.

“Nope, it’s all good.”

His response didn’t answer her hidden question about relationship status, so she gave it up.

“What happened to your leg, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Just a workplace accident. I fell from the flatbed of a truck and landed wrong. I’ll be off on disability for a good while yet. I’m waiting for knee surgery.”

“Sorry to hear that,” she noted.

“It’s all good. It’s nice to take a break from the road anyway…glad I’m here to do this for you now.”

“Me too, you’re saving my life.”

“It’s nothing, Carol. Don’t you worry about it.”

There was peace in her heart as she drifted off next to Sophia that night. So much was uncertain in her life and always had been since her parents died. The accident that took her parents had left her adrift and finding someone like Merle was more than fortunate, it was just the blessing that she needed to start over.


	3. Chapter 3

**_ Better Together - Jack Johnson _ **

**_ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSsTx2TBrww> _ **

* * *

_** Chapter Three ** _

Carol spent Sunday morning with Sophia at the playground feeling free and easy for once. Everything was working out for a change and she couldn’t wait to see what else was possible. Maybe she could find them a two-bedroom apartment soon and decorate Sophia’s bedroom in pink and purple. Maybe she could get her a kitten and take her on summer holiday trips. Maybe they could have it all.

Carol made Sunday dinner that night like her parents used to before they passed away. She was bringing back the good things she remembered from childhood now that she was in charge and it felt great. Ed couldn’t dictate their family anymore, so roasted chicken and potatoes was going to be the new norm on Sundays. Gone were the nights of scraping together a meal from scant groceries and watching Ed drink the rest of their money away. Sure, she was broke after putting down the first month’s rent and buying food, but she had a job now and every penny she earned was going into their future.

Carol found herself peeking out the window all weekend to observe the comings and goings of Merle to see if he was with someone. She chastised herself for the way she was feeling about him but couldn’t help wanting to know what his life was like and what he was looking for. Ed was her own age, but Merle was probably twenty years older. Carol had never been attracted to a man in his 50s but there was something about Merle that she couldn’t help being attracted to. Maybe it was his strong arms or his sweet smile or the way he had jumped in to help a stranger in need, but she liked him a little more every single day.

On Monday morning, Carol got dressed up in a black pencil skirt and white blouse from the Salvation Army and walked across the hall to drop Sophia off with Merle. She had a bag packed with all of Sophia’s necessary items like her blanket and favourite toys but also planned to leave Merle with the key to her place so they could be in either apartment depending on what Sophia needed.

“Hey there,” he said as he invited Sophia inside and turned on the TV for her. “You look great, Carol! You ready for the new job?”

“I am so ready to start earning my own money and getting back on my feet. Thanks-”

“Quit thankin’ me,” he laughed. “It’s all good.”

“I wrote down my work number. Call me if you need anything,” she said as she looked over at Sophia, already comfortable on the neighbour’s couch. “And here’s a set of keys to my place.”

“I’ll call if there’s any problem, but I don’t expect any issues. You just have a good day, OK?” he smiled.

“You too,” Carol nodded. “Love you, Sophia.”

“Love you, mom. Don’t be long.”

“I’ll be home for supper. The time will fly, honey. I promise.”

“OK.”

Carol walked to work and was there right on time to start her new life, a life where she was in the driver’s seat and could give Sophia what she always deserved.

/

“Did you eat breakfast yet?” Merle asked the child.

“Yes.”

“Cool. You wanna go to a movie or something later?”

“A movie?” she asked.

“Yeah, they got matinees at the theatre downtown for two bucks in the afternoon. I bet they’re showin’ a kid movie of some kind.”

“I never went to a theater,” she answered, looking apprehensive.

“Never?”

“No.”

Merle pulled out his laptop to show her what he was talking about and her eyes went wide.

“Big TV,” she exclaimed.

“Yup! Huge TV. You wanna go? They got popcorn and candy and everything.”

“Yes!”

“Cool. I’ll see what’s playing.”

Maintaining conversation with a three-year-old all day seemed a little difficult so killing a few hours in a theater sounded like a no-brainer to Merle.

Sophia watched cartoons for a couple of hours, and he peeled her an orange for a snack. She didn’t say much at first but after a while, she started laughing louder at her cartoons and looking over at him with some interest.

“Will you make me lunch?” she asked him around noon.

“You got it. Grilled cheese OK?”

“Yeah,” she grinned.

Merle cut the sandwich into 4 equal squares and added ketchup to the plate which met with her approval. He wondered what people would think of seeing him with her at the theater. Would they think he was her grandpa or that he kidnapped her? His tattoos, leather vest, and dark glasses didn’t really give him the classic ‘babysitter’ look but he liked subverting people’s assumptions. They could piss off if they had a problem with him.

They ate on the couch in silence and then caught the bus to the theater downtown. Sophia was stunned by everything when they arrived: the overwhelming scent of theater popcorn, the size of the screen, and the fact that he said she could have anything she wanted at the concession.

“You mean it?”

“Sure! Your mom ain’t here, eat all the junk you want,” he smirked.

There were only 20 people in the theater, and Sophia had to sit on a booster seat to see anything over the row in front of them. Merle couldn’t help thinking she was about the cutest kid he’d ever seen. She was amazed by everything and it was infectious just being around her. Suddenly the cheap theater felt like the magical place he’d ever been. Merle had heard that having kids allowed you to relive things yourself and he understood that finally. He was getting to relive the excitement of a movie theater for the first time with her and he liked that. He realized then that he had really missed the boat not having a family of his own and regret began to set in.

She looked over at him as the lights went down and the sound of the theater speakers kicked in with previews and he’d never seen anyone grin so wide.

“This is amazing!” she squealed.

He wished he had a camera to capture the image of a little blonde girl with a bucket of popcorn in her lap and 3 boxes of candy grinning from ear to ear. She was happiness personified.

“We can see as many movies as you like, kid,” he smiled.

/

Carol’s feet were throbbing as she walked up the steps to Merle’s apartment door but her first day was perfect. Dr. Horvath was easy to work for and didn’t expect her to get everything right on the first day.

Merle opened the door before she even knocked and held his finger to his lips.

“She’s crashed on the couch. You want a cold drink while you wait for her to wake up?”

“Sure…wow, she fell asleep here?”

“She got all excited about the movie. I think it tuckered her out.”

“Movie?”

“I took her on the bus to see a movie at the cheap theater downtown. Is that OK?”

“Sure…you didn’t have to do that.”

“She said she never went to a movie before, so I figured I’d take her. I guess maybe you wanted to take her to her first movie though…sorry.”

“No. It’s such a sweet thing that you took her,” Carol smiled. “What did you see anyway?”

“The new Cinderella remake. Not bad for a kid’s movie,” he grinned.

“You’re incredible, you know that?”

“I try,” he winked. “She did eat her body weight in popcorn and candy though, so don’t be surprised if she don’t eat much for supper. I couldn’t stop her, she never had theater popcorn before.”

“She really needs moments like this after everything she’s been through. Where have you been all this time?”

“Here and there,” he chuckled. “You hungry? I got lasagna in the oven and I ain’t gonna eat it all.”

“Oh…I couldn’t.”

“Come on. She’s still sleeping anyway,” he pressed.

“I’ve never eaten lasagna I didn’t cook myself before,” she noted.

“Hope mine measures up. I only ever cook for myself, so I don’t even know if other people like it.”

Carol was handed a plate of steaming hot lasagna as she sat on the couch next to Sophia curled up with her blanket.

“I never eat at a table, so I don’t bother owning one,” he explained.

“It’s all good. I usually eat on the couch too. This is delicious!”

The lasagna was impressive, and she devoured it without even considering that he was watching her with a grin.

“Hungry were ya?”

“Starving, and this really hit the spot,” she shrugged.

“Want more?”

“No, I couldn’t, but thanks.”

“I’ll send you home with some for Sophia if you think she’ll like it too. Why cook just for one little girl, hey?”

“You’re too much. How are you not taken?” she sighed.

“Wasn’t really looking to be taken,” he answered.

“Sorry, I’m not trying to pretend I know your life. Not everyone wants to be in a relationship.”

“It’s OK. I just meant that I never used to want that. I was always working out of town and now I’m pretty sure it’s too late.”

“It’s never too late.”

“For me to have a happily ever after like Cinderella? I’m pretty sure it is,” he chuckled.

Merle scooped up Sophia to carry her back home after they ate together and lay her on the bed that she and her mother shared. Carol needed to shower and get some rest for work the next day and Merle said he was going out for a drink with his brother.

“Have a good night, Merle,” she smiled as he walked toward her door.

“Thanks, you too.”

She wanted to know if he was going to bring someone home, but it was none of her business and besides being kind he hadn’t shown any interest in her. Carol decided to let it be and showered for work the next day. She counted her blessings and curled up next to Sophia, life was going to be good now.

/

“You’re doing what?” Daryl exclaimed.

He racked up the balls and broke them all over the table to begin the evening of pool and shooting the shit with his brother.

“It’s no big deal. I’m just helping a neighbour, nothing wrong with being neighbourly.”

“Uh huh. You trying to get in her pants or something?”

“No. She’s just having a hard time. She left some abusive prick not long ago and she’s trying to get her feet under her.”

“What’s in it for you then?”

“Maybe I’m just a nice guy. If someone had helped mom when she tried to leave with us that one time, maybe she wouldn’t have run back to him.”

“I don’t get it, but whatever floats your boat. You ain’t interested in this woman at all?”

Merle ignored the question to take his shot, but his sly grin was hard to hide.

“I fuckin’ knew it!” Daryl laughed.

“Shut up!”

“You are trying to get laid.”

“If it happens it happens and if it don’t it don’t. I still really do wanna help her out,” Merle defended.

“Uh huh.”

“Maybe it’s about time I settled down or something,” Merle broached.

“Your biological clock tickin’ or something?”

“Maybe.”

Daryl looked baffled.

“Really?”

“I like this woman. She’s really pretty and she’s a good mother. That’s a good quality in a person. I don’t think she likes me like that, so it doesn’t really matter what I want, but if she did like me, I’d probably jump at the chance. Is that crazy? Tell me I’m not being crazy.”

“It’s not crazy, Merle.”

He knew that Daryl didn’t really get it and that he did think it was crazy, but he understood why. It was completely out of the ordinary for Merle, so he didn’t really blame him. For 52 years, Merle hadn’t so much as hinted at wanting anything like this, but Carol and Sophia were giving him a lot to think about.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize now that this story centers very much around Merle and Sophia and I almost thought it was too much about them, but then I thought more about the idea of meeting a partner when you're a mother. I would need for any new partner to be as invested in my child as I was and for Carol, being abused in the past, it would probably be even more vital. Merle and Sophia being so close is, in many ways, what makes her fall in love with him. If Sophia trusts him and is happy around him then Carol automatically knows he's a good man she can also care about. On the other side, Merle already feels attracted to Carol and seeing how good a mother she is and what a nice child she has raised despite the hardships makes him fall for as well. They almost fall in love through their care of Sophia. Anyway, just thinking out loud. lol

**_ Monkey - Counting Crows _ **

**_ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guhYfq8tNEw> _ **

**_ Must listen song! I love this one:) _ **

**_ Chapter Four _ **

Merle got restless sitting around the house, so he liked to take Sophia out and get her tired for nap time. His knee was aching, but it hurt regardless of whether he sat around or went for a walk, so he figured he’d go out and at least not be bored. He had noticed a new spray park in the area and decided to walk her over to check it out on Wednesday afternoon.

“How far is it?” she asked.

“A couple of blocks. Why?”

Her little legs got tired apparently and he couldn’t very well take a three-year-old on his bike, so he offered to carry her on his shoulders. His doctor would give him shit for carrying a child with his knee issues, but he didn’t care.

“I’ll fall,” she argued.

“I ain’t gonna drop you, Sophia. It’s either that, or we walk, or we gotta stay home. It’s up to you.”

“Carry me,” she decided.

Merle went over to Carol’s place to collect a change of clothes for her and a towel. He asked her if she could change her own clothes after they got wet and she swore that she could, so he figured the spray park would work for something to do.

Merle hoisted a squirming, squealing kid onto his shoulders out on the sidewalk out front and got a good swift kick to the chest in the process. Apparently, she was scared of heights.

“Sorry!” she apologized.

“I’ll live. You good now?”

“Yeah.”

Merle walked her three blocks to the spray park, and she rested her chin on the top of his head all the way there. He liked taking care of her. He liked tying her shoelaces and making her food, he liked watching her fighting to stay awake at nap time on the couch; she would fight sleep like a tiger sometimes.

Merle found a bench where a grandmother was watching her grandson and sent Sophia over to run through the various sprinklers.

“Go have fun, kiddo.”

Sophia ran around like a fool screaming her head off with a little boy who was perhaps a year older.

“They’re so cute at this age, aren’t they?” the woman sighed.

“You got that right,” he answered.

The woman obviously thought that Sophia was his and he decided not to correct her; who could it hurt to pretend?

“Watch me!” Sophia screamed and proceeded to play leapfrog through a sprinkler with the little boy.

“I see you, honey! Nice!” he shouted back.

“It’s so good to see a dad at the park with a little one, although you do see that more now than when I had little ones myself.”

“I’m off work with an injury so I get to spend more time with her,” he nodded.

It was cool being seen as a doting father. Merle was mostly excited that she hadn’t assumed he was her grandparent…maybe he could still be a dad after all. He liked people thinking that Sophia was his own child and that surprised him. Merle had never been drawn to the idea of fatherhood until recently.

Eventually, Sophia got tired and wandered back over to him to get wrapped up in the towel he’d brought.

“You ready for home, kiddo?”

“Carry me?” she yawned.

“Are you kidding? You’re soaked!” he smirked.

“But I’m tired. Please?”

“I’m joking. I’ll still carry you.”

“You’re a good father,” the woman smiled, and he nodded quickly and headed off with Sophia before he could get caught in his lie.

“Do you have kids?” Sophia asked when she was perched up on his shoulders.

“Nah, I don’t have any kids of my own. That woman must have just figured you were mine.”

“Oh…you’re like a dad though kinda,” she noted.

“Thanks?” he chuckled.

“My dad was mean.”

“Mine was too.”

“Dads are mean,” she sighed.

“Not always. If I got to be a dad, I’d never be mean.”

“You’re always nice.”

“Thanks, honey. So are you.”

During nap time that afternoon, he played some music on his old record player and watched her sleep. It was nice to take her to places she’d never been. Merle had wished for someone to take him to fun places as a child, but it never happened for him. Doing something nice for a child who knew what he did about shitty dads felt good.

That first week Merle went a little overboard at times. He would let her have ice cream before lunch, bought her toys from a vending machine until she got just the one that she wanted and pushed her on the swing till his arms got tired. Being with a toddler all day was tiring so he did appreciate nap time when he could think straight for a minute, but he loved it all the same. As soon a Sophia became comfortable with him, she didn’t stop talking. She asked him a million questions a day and told him the plot of every story she’d ever heard but he never once let on that it was exhausting.

Merle knew that he wasn’t doing all of this to get laid, but he still loved how much Carol fawned all over him every night. He loved the admiration in her eyes when he filled her in on what he and Sophia had done that day and how much fun she’d had. Merle liked impressing her and had taken to having supper conveniently prepared for them every night when Carol picked her up. He was too old for Carol and Sophia, but stranger things had happened. Maybe Carol was into older men and Sophia did seem to judge him by age, she only cared that he was nice.

#######################

Carol’s first week at the new job was going perfectly and she was taking to the work with ease. She could see herself staying with Dr. Horvath for the long-term. Saturday finally came and Carol was able to sleep in till almost 8 am. Sophia had a tiring week of fun with her new sitter and it was a treat to not be up before the sun. Carol rolled over to stare at the face of her baby girl, who always looked more like an actual baby when she was asleep.

Merle wasn’t like anyone Carol had ever met, and she couldn’t help wanting him. Thoughts of him had become invasive at work where she had to consciously push him from her mind. She wanted to go over to his apartment just to see him but had no excuse, so she lingered and waited for Sophia to get up.

The weekend was uneventful, and Sophia was happy to relax after her busy week of fun. Carol peeked out the front window of her apartment to see if Merle was going out and when he left the building at 9 pm, she wasn’t too surprised. Why should he stay in on a Saturday night?

Maybe he was seeing his brother, maybe he was going to bring home the same woman from a few weeks back and make her moan for almost an hour like last time…

Carol couldn’t stay up late enough to see if he had come home alone but she continued to wonder.

/

Carol was on her way to the shared laundry room when she heard a female voice coming from behind Merle’s door on Sunday morning and frowned to herself. There it was, he was taken. She continued on to the laundry room to get her work clothes washed and thanked her lucky stars that he was at least her babysitter for now. She had to consider her priorities. Love couldn’t be at the top of her list, Sophia was, and Sophia’s needs were being met now. Carol had to remember how lucky she was just to be free of Ed.

Sophia talked about Merle most of the weekend and when Carol figured out that he was probably with someone else at that very moment it stung a little to hear his name.

_“Merle is so funny!”_

_“Merle bought me dolls from the machine till I got the purple one!”_

_“Merle pushed me on the swing for the whole day almost!”_

This was the kind of father Sophia deserved, but Merle wasn’t her father, he wasn’t Carol’s partner, he was the temporary babysitter.

/

Carol felt blue on Monday but fought it back as she dropped Sophia off in the morning. Merle looked the same as always, but she was sure that he had been with another woman that very weekend. It was not a betrayal to her, he wasn’t her man, but she had to admit that she wanted him now more than just a little.

“Did you have a good weekend?” she asked, trying to sound chipper.

“Pretty good. I’m a little tired but it serves me right for staying up late at my age,” he chuckled.

“Worth it if you’re having a good time. Been ages since I could stay up late. I conk out at 10 pm most of the time,” she smiled.

“Staying up is overrated anyway,” he insisted.

“Yeah?”

She wanted to ask who he was with, who the woman was and if he saw a future with her, but it was 100% not her business so she didn’t dare.

“Yeah, I think I need to settle down a little, start acting my age,” he chuckled.

Carol had no idea how to respond so she just nodded and smiled.

“Hope you guys have a nice Monday and I’ll be home as soon as I can get here.”

“Don’t work too hard,” he added on her way out the door.

/

Merle settled in for the morning with Sophia and watched Looney Tunes for a while. They could go out in the afternoon and see what they could find to do but the mornings were usually pretty calm.

Daryl and his girlfriend Jessie showed up to drop off his printer and he introduced them to Sophia.

“It’s so damn cute to see you with a little girl, Merle,” Jessie whispered when Sophia went back to her animal crackers and cartoons.

“She’s a sweetheart,” he agreed.

“Daryl says you’re trying to get with her mom,” she whispered again.

“We’ll see. She’s just fresh out of a bad relationship. I don’t want to push.”

“Thought I might see her when I stopped by Sunday morning for the printer,” Jessie winked.

“Spying on me?”

“Maybe a little. You never get like this.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know…you’re just caught up in this.”

“I guess I am. I went over when she moved in to help move boxes, but I couldn’t think of any other reason to talk to her till this came up. Maybe all she wants is my help though, who knows?”

“She’d be crazy to let you pass her by,” Jessie winked.

“You’re a honey. Thanks.”

“Thanks for the printer, Merle. You wanna hang out later this week?” Daryl asked.

“Sure thing, brother. Don’t I whoop your ass every Saturday night at pool? Why break tradition?” he teased.

“Yeah yeah.”

“Nice to meet you, Sophia!” Jessie waved to the little one watching cartoons and drinking apple juice from a sippy cup.

“Nice to meet you!” Sophia waved.

/

Carol walked home on Monday and looked forward to seeing Sophia, she needed a hug after a long day and was comforted to know her little girl was in safe hands with Merle.

She knocked on the door and heard, “Come in!” from inside.

There they were at the table making pink slime with glitter and she frowned at her luck.

_Why couldn’t she be with him? He was perfect for her and for Sophia._

“Having fun, you two?” she grinned.

“Look!” Sophia exclaimed, holding up a handful of bright pink slime in her chubby little fist. “We made it”!

“Found this on YouTube,” Merle explained. “Last I checked, kids like making a mess with stuff like this.”

“You’re too good, Merle…someone was looking out for me when I met you.”

She was emotional and couldn’t seem to hide it.

“You OK?” he asked.

Merle got up and told Sophia he’d be right back. He led Carol into the hall to talk and see what the problem was, and she couldn’t keep it together.

“I’m sorry…it’s just that everything’s been so hard since I left and finding a friend like you was the last thing I expected. You’ve been so kind to us, and I can’t repay you for that.”

“I told you, I don’t want anything from you. I really just want to help.”

“I shouldn’t say this…but…never mind.”

“What is it?”

“No. I can’t. I don’t want to make this awkward. I really need you in my life and I don’t want to ruin it.”

“It’s gonna drive me crazy wondering what you were gonna say now,” he frowned.

“It’s nothing…and I know you had a woman over this weekend and it’s definitely not my place to-”

“Mom! Look what I made!”

Sophia needed to show off a heart shape she was making on the kitchen table with slime and cut the conversation short.

“That’s amazing, honey! Wow,” she praised Sophia before turning to Merle. “Anyway, just forget about it. I should get her home for supper. Thanks so much for making her days so much fun.”

“Can you call me tonight when she’s sleeping?” Merle asked.

“Everything OK?”

“Yeah, I just wanna talk some more,” he nodded.

/

It seemed to take hours to get Sophia off to sleep after bath and storytime, but eventually, Carol was in the living room with wet hair from the shower and the phone in her hand.

_Was he upset with her for spying on his private life? Had she made a giant ass of herself?_

She almost didn’t want to call but she did anyway.


	5. Chapter 5

**_ Love Song #16 - Jack Johnson _ **

**_ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shqz2Z66tio> _ **

* * *

**_ Chapter Five  _ **

“Hello?”

“Hey, Merle.”

“How’s your evening going?”

“Pretty good. Just got Sofia to sleep.”

“She’s like a baby when she sleeps,” he said.

“I always thought that myself, she looks younger when she’s sleeping.”

“She’s a sweet kid. She’s gonna do well in life now thanks to you.”

“I sure hope so.”

“You saved her from a negative home life and she’s still so young. I’m sure she’s gonna bounce right back. She trusted me pretty easy so she ain’t too jaded about the world yet.”

“That’s true. It’s good for her to meet new people she can trust.”

“She met my brother and his girl today. They were dropping off my printer.”

“That’s nice.”

“I was thinking…maybe that’s who you saw this weekend.”

“Pardon?”

“You said I had someone over, but the only woman who came by was Jessie and she’s with my brother Daryl. She was picking up my printer on Sunday morning.”

“I didn’t even see anyone. I just heard a female voice from behind your door. I was doing laundry. I’m not stalking you I swear…I just noticed.”

“I’m not seeing anyone.”

“It’s none of my business. I’m sorry.”

“Do you want it to be your business?” he asked, and she couldn’t read his meaning over the phone.

“Merle, I don’t want to make anything weird for you, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking of you lately.”

“You are?”

“Yeah…and it’s not just because you’re doing me a massive favour. I really like you,” she confessed.

It was useless to pretend otherwise, and she wanted to make her feelings known while he was single. If she was ever going to love again at all, it would have to be a man like Merle, and she couldn’t help thinking that men like him were in very short supply. Maybe he had no interest in a woman with a child, but she had to give it a shot.

“I like you too, honey, and I like your daughter.”

Carol couldn’t speak, she just smiled.

“We got an age gap and I know you just left a bad situation, but I’d love to see where this goes.”

“Me too. I’d love that.”

“Well, then we need to find another babysitter so I can take you on a proper date, hey?”

Carol covered her mouth with her hand and tried not to squeal like a kid. She was so excited.

“Can you come over for a bit?” she asked. “I need to see you.”

“Hell yeah,” he growled, and her loins caught fire. He had a sexy, growly quality to his voice that caught her attention the first day they met. She’d never forget it.

_Hey, you need a hand movin’ some boxes?_

That voice could hold any woman’s attention.

Sofia was out like a light in the other room and Merle arrived at her door in only seconds in a pair of dark jeans and that white sleeveless undershirt that made her weak.

“You sure about this?” he asked. “You know you don’t owe me anything.”

“I know. I’m sure.”

She invited him in to sit on the couch and wondered how close to sit to him until he made the decision for her and held his arm out wide to bring her in close.

“I didn’t know if you wanted anything like this,” he began. “I hoped you did but I didn’t know.”

“Some men aren’t looking for a ready-made family and I don’t want to drag someone into that if it’s not what they want. I need someone who really wants to be in Sofia’s life for the right reasons.”

“I didn’t think I had anything to offer a kid, but I think Sofia’s getting something out of hanging out with me.”

“Lots of little toys and treats,” Carol grinned, “and some great childhood memories.”

“I can’t promise it’ll be perfect. I was never the relationship type but I wanna give this an honest try. I wanna be there for you two.”

“I need someone I can lean on for once…I lost my parent’s when I was young, and I’ve never had anybody stable since then.”

“So, you just ended up with your ex cause you had no one else?”

“Sad as that is, yes.”

“You can relax now, Carol. I’m gonna be here for you.”

“All this and you haven’t even kissed me yet. What if there’s no chemistry for you?” she whispered.

“What? You mean you can’t feel it already?” he winked and moved in closer to her. “I sure can…”

She was surrounded in a fog of lust, excitement, and fear as he approached her.

_What if she fell so hard that she couldn’t maintain control? What if she was falling harder than he was?_

By the time his big strong hands met her cheeks, all the fear left her mind. She could feel it in his touch, he was sure about what he wanted.

“Feel it now?” he cooed.

“Oh yeah…I feel it everywhere.”

“I wanna do this right. I want to take you out tomorrow night for a proper date. Will you let me do that?”

“Yes,” she nodded, her hand resting on his elbow.

“My brother and his girl can babysit tomorrow if that works and then maybe we can be alone for a bit before you go back to Sophia?” he grinned.

“You’re making me crazy,” she whispered.

“Just wait till tomorrow night, I ain’t done yet,” he chuckled.

Carol kissed him goodbye for a good ten minutes at the door and slid into a hot bath before bed with a mind full of hopes and dreams for a future with Merle.

/

Tuesday morning, Merle found himself colouring pictures with Sophia at the coffee table and wondering what she’d think of him dating her mother. It was so soon after her parent’s separation, but she clearly had no positive feelings for her real father, maybe she wouldn’t mind.

“Are you happy here?” he asked.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Just wondering. I like hanging out with you.”

“We have fun,” she said without looking up from her colouring. “I never had fun at my old house.”

“Your mom is a very special person,” he broached, watching her face for some kind of sign that she understood what he was getting at.

“My mom is the best mom ever.”

“She is. She loves you more than anything.”

Sophia sighed and started digging through the crayons for a particular colour. Upon finding the right shade of green she wanted, a thought came to her.

“My mom likes you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“She talks about you all the time.”

“Is that right?” he smiled. “Well, I like her too.”

Sophia looked at him critically then and his smile vanished in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are you getting married?”

“No, honey, we only just met. Why? Would it upset you if we went on a date or something?” he asked.

He waited for her to answer and kept colouring the picture he was working on, feeling nervous about her eventual response.

“I don’t mind…but if you make her cry, I’ll be mad at you.”

“I wouldn’t do that, Sophia. I never want to be anything but nice to you and your mom.”

“OK,” she nodded with a sweet smile and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Merle continued to colour and looked up a moment later to find her looking at him again.

“What?”

“Do you have more oranges?” she asked.

“Yeah. Want one?”

“Yes, please.”

Merle grabbed her a mandarin orange from the fridge and peeled it for her as she finished up her picture. She had gone through a whole bag of oranges since they met.

“Here,” he said, handing her a bowl of separated orange segments.

“My real dad never peeled oranges for me.”

“No?”

“And he never took me anywhere.”

“That’s a shame.”

It was like walking on eggshells discussing her father. It really wasn’t his place to comment, although he’d happily kick his ass if given a chance.

“It wouldn’t have been fun anyways. He wasn’t nice like you.”

Merle just sat on the couch and smiled, he couldn’t think of anything to say back and she wasn’t the type to expect a response to everything. She was often happy just to speak her mind and seemed to appreciate someone listening.

“I’m happy here,” she repeated to bookend the conversation and then offered him some of her orange.

“Thanks, kiddo,” he smiled and took a piece from the bowl.

There was something so simple about interacting with Sophia. It was honest and without pretense; it was just what he needed in his life.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Void - The Neighbourhood** _

_**<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWEXy9ShpEc> ** _

* * *

_**Chapter Six** _

The rest of the morning was spent with Merle picking a restaurant online and calling his brother to make sure he could babysit.

“You’re taking out the mom, hey?”

Merle was in his bedroom as Sophia was relaxing on the couch and had a chat with Daryl.

“Yeah, I think this might be it. I kissed her last night and we got something going on.”

“Cute. By this time next year, you’ll be daddy Merle.”

“That’s fine by me. I really like her kid.”

“You got Jessie buggin’ me to have kids now. Nice going.”

“Go for it. You’ll never do better than Jessie and I tell you what…waiting this long did me no favours.”

“You’re always on her side.”

“She’s a sweet, pretty girl and she tolerates your shit. I’d say you should get her in the family way before she realizes you’re a goof,” Merle joked.

/

Carol told him that she had mentioned the date to Sophia and that she seemed happy about it. Merle started to put together his clothes for taking Carol out and borrowed Daryl’s extra helmet to take her on the bike as Sophia took a nap.

Merle played a record and tried a few different shirts with his best pair of jeans in front of the bathroom mirror. He thought about Carol and that wavy auburn hair. She was the kind of woman you could really have a life with, she was strong and sweet and such a good mother. Merle liked all these things about her, but he also wanted her body in the worst way. He had occasional sex with women from the bar, the last one being one of the worst one-night stands of his life. She’d had fun, but it left him feeling very empty.

He knew it was probably too soon, but he really wanted to sleep with Carol already. He knew he was serious about her and about being a father figure to Sophia, so it didn’t make sense in his mind to wait. Of course, he’d wait if that’s what she wanted, but if she was into it, he was going to jump at the chance.

Carol was home a little early that afternoon and he informed her of the reservation for dinner.

“Do you mind going on my bike? I got my brother’s extra helmet. I can call a cab if you prefer.”

“No, it’s good. I haven’t been on a bike in years, but I’d love to do it again,” she grinned.

“Great. Daryl and Jessie will be here at 6 and they can watch her at your place so she can go to sleep in her usual bed,” he suggested.

“Sounds perfect.”

“Can I have popcorn tonight?” Sophia asked.

“You bet, honey. You can watch a movie and everything,” Carol smiled.

/

Merle brought over his brother and his girlfriend at 6 pm and they sat together and had a cup of coffee before leaving on their date. Carol trusted Merle’s brother and girlfriend right away. They were a very nice couple.

Merle was a little dressed up, but she loved how he didn’t change his overall style for her, it showed that he was self-assured. He still wore leather but added a dress shirt to his jeans. He looked delicious.

Carol wore jeans as well and a sleeveless dress shirt, also from the Salvation Army. Upon leaving Ed, she had to replace most of her wardrobe on a tight budget.

Carol kissed Sophia goodnight and walked out into the evening air with Merle.

“You look like a million bucks, honey,” he grinned.

“Thank you. You look pretty good yourself.”

“The restaurant ain’t fancy, but they do some badass barbeque,” he noted.

“I’m not a fancy woman. Sounds perfect to me.”

Merle handed her the extra helmet and helped her to fasten it under her chin.

Climbing onto the back of his bike was intense and she realized that she wanted more from a first date than she probably should. His firm back and rock-hard arms had her thinking about other parts of his body.

She held on tight around his waist all the way there and squealed at some sharp corners that she was sure he was pulling to elicit a response. She hadn’t had fun with a man like this since high school.

/

After a delicious dinner, he asked about her life with Sophia, about what they liked to do for fun and what they wanted from life.

Having a man take an interest not only in her but in her daughter was refreshing. Carol was under no pressure to pretend she was a free and single 20-year-old. She was free to speak about Sophia and know that he was genuinely interested.

“My brother is a little surprised that I was so into being around a little kid. It kinda surprised me how much I like it too. Hanging out with Sophia is more pleasant than being around most adults, to be honest.”

“She’s pretty easy to please once you figure her out and she doesn’t whine very often for her age,” Carol nodded. “I’d rather be with her than most adults too.”

“Everything is going good then, hey. The job, and Sophia’s cared for. What’s next for you?” he asked.

“We will need a bigger place in time. She needs her own room, but I know I can get there now. It will take some time but it’s all falling into place.”

“You did it…it must have been scary to leave him, but you did it,” he smiled. “I admire that about you.”

“Merle…I hope I’m not coming on too strong, but can we go back to your place now?”

She was done playing nice mommy, Carol needed his body and wasn’t about to apologize for that.

“Hell yeah…just a second. I’ll pay up and we’re outta here,” he grinned.

/

The look in her eyes was crystal clear; she was ready for it.

She giggled and moved the auburn curls out of her face revealing a sweet flush of rose in her cheeks and he couldn’t wait to have her.

The ride back to their building had him planning in his mind how he was going to please her and then her hands moved down from his waist to his open thighs and his mind when blank.

“You’re playin’ with fire, woman,” he commented over his shoulder and then her right hand moved high enough up his thigh to make him groan.

Her little hand cupped his steadily hardening cock through his jeans, and he imagined himself scooping her up to toss her on his bed.

He raced up the apartment steps with her and they were inside his suite in a heartbeat. They could both hear Sophia laughing across the corridor at some stupid joke Daryl was telling and so there was nothing to check on, nothing standing in their way. Sophia was just fine, and they were free to enjoy some adult time.

The moment the door closed; it was on. She slid her shoes off of her feet and was in his arms in seconds. Merle couldn’t wait another moment to show her how he felt, and they were soon melting down onto his couch.

Merle found himself sinking his body down over her, enveloped between her thighs. It was much too fast, and it didn’t make sense to go racing into something so sexual, but he didn’t care. 

“I’m gonna take care of you, Carol, in every way,” he promised, and she believed him, he could see it in her eyes.

Kissing her felt so natural, the way their mouths moved as one, no fight for dominance or control, just passion and desperate need.

Streetlights streamed in through her front window and his hand made its way up the back of her thigh to pull her pelvis in just close enough to feel the need in him. He felt her shudder against him and surrender to him in that moment. Carol was the one he’d been waiting for; he knew it like he knew his own name.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A Song For the Lovers - Richard Ashcroft**_

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PtPgdSSTjg>

* * *

_**Chapter Seven** _

He claimed her throat with his mouth and held her right ass cheek in his hand, urging her into him with rhythmic movement. Carol had never felt so high before, so needy for another’s touch. Ed never cared that she felt safe or if she enjoyed sex, but she could tell that it was paramount to Merle. Merle was a man who needed her to enjoy it.

It was a simple make out session so far, she was still fully dressed, but she could already feel her panties becoming slippery from need. Carol was warm and wet for him with little provocation.

He was so much bigger than her, but he wasn’t forceful in any kind of negative way. Everything he did was to lead her into arousal, not to demand her compliance. His kiss moved down between her breasts and she held his head in her hands, feeling the heat of his skin radiating toward her.

She imagined holding his head between her thighs, she wanted it so badly that she whimpered softly at his touch.

“Needy girl, huh?” he grinned.

“I’ve never felt like this before.”

Merle picked her up then and lay her out on the carpet in the living room. She looked up at him with nervous apprehension and he realized that it may have been years since someone really pleased her. Merle decided then to undress her like a gift and then eat her pussy like the sexual demon he was. Dixon men weren’t blessed with common sense, but they could reduce a woman to moaning and sweet agony with little effort.

He unbuttoned her blouse and opened it before his eyes. Taking in the sweet sight of her simple floral bra; white with tiny blue flowers. Her auburn hair was spread out on the carpet and she looked like a dream. She looked so ready for him, with desire in her eyes that could stop traffic. He licked up and down her smooth torso, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses and desire.

/

She realized that he was unzipping her jeans then and easing them down her legs while simultaneously burying his face in the front of her panties. She felt his hot breath penetrating the material and warming her cool wet lips.

“You’re good,” she purred.

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

He urged her legs apart and lay his lips against hers through the wet material of her panties. He kissed her there and she writhed against the rough cheap carpeting of his apartment like an animal. He stripped her of her panties then and kissed his way slowly back up her inner thighs, leaving her within inches of pleading.

His hands gripped her by the waist to keep her steady and she took it all gratefully. His tongue was so soft and wet, zero friction was sensed as he slid it from front to back and side to side, not missing one single inch of her needy flesh.

“You taste so fuckin’ good,” he groaned, and she felt the vibrations of his gravelly voice moving through her core.

She held his bald head still between her legs as her eyes rolled back into her head. He was getting her right there so easily and he hoped she’d last longer next time. He loved eating pussy and she was giving it up much too easy.

Her back arched as his lips closed around her clit and she whimpered in ecstasy allowing her legs to fall flat against the carpet. Her thighs trembled with release as he moved up to kiss her, his lips still drenched in her cum.

/

“Fuck me,” she panted. “Please…I need it so bad.”

Merle grinned and got up to grab a condom from his bedroom, where he hoped to fuck her next time. He was always prepared for sex just in case. She hadn’t even bothered to undress him or jerk him off, but he understood it, Carol just needed it fast and maybe next time they’d check out all the scenery.

She watched him unzip his jeans and pushed them down past his hips along with his underwear and her eyes went wide.

“I love that look,” he chuckled. “Never gets old.”

Merle was working with a solid 9-inches of manhood, rock-hard and always ready. Carol had never seen anything quite like it.

“Holy Christ, Merle!”

“You ready to be a bad mom for a little bit?” he winked.

“Fuck yes.”

Merle slid the condom down over his cock as her eyes drank it in with dire thirst.

/

It was insanity, sweet, blissful, pain for pleasure insanity.

Merle Dixon’s cock was so thick that it made her toes curl and her back arch deeply off the floor just to take it all.

“Mmmmm….yeah…oh fuck yeah…” she rambled.

Merle was perfect from head to toe with his god-like cock, muscular arms, and fine as hell ass; two handfuls of toned heaven.

He kissed her deep and fucked her just right, steady and smooth. There was nothing erratic about the way he moved, it was all fully within his control. He was the John Wick of sex, serious and leaving nothing to chance. He sucked her breasts as he lay a sweet carpet burn all over her back and then pulled her pelvis up to meet him thrust for thrust with his huge hand cradling her right ass cheek.

“Feel that, honey…feel what I got for you?”

“I feel it everywhere…you’re the best I ever had.”

“The best you’ll ever have now…am I all you need now?”

“Yes, baby…all I need.”

/

He wanted to hear those words, he needed it. Merle wanted to keep fucking her and he also wanted to be her full-time man. It wouldn’t happen overnight, but he wanted more than playing Mr. Nanny, he wanted to be the father that Sofia deserved.

By the time he finally came, he had it all planned out in his heart and mind. They were gonna make it work and be together forever. It wasn’t just a fluke that he had come across her that night when she was crying. Merle had been looking for a way to talk to her and he was placed right there by God himself he was sure of it. He was the only one who knew what she and Sofia had been through and what it took to get away.

##################

He held her for a long time in silence and was half waiting for her to say that it was the wrong time or that she needed to take a step back.

“So…is this it? Are we a permanent thing?” she whispered.

“Yeah. This ain’t over until you say so.”

“I’m not planning on that.”

“Good, cause I got it all planned out in my mind already, Carol. We’re gonna be a family…it’s gonna be like happily ever after,” he sighed.

“Told you it wasn’t too late,” she smiled, her cheek resting on his chest and the beating of his heart calming her to her very soul.

“You did say that didn’t you?”

“Yep.”

“You and Sophia are just what I needed…I feel so lucky.”

Carol didn’t think she’d ever find someone so good, so stable and someone she loved so completely. She was about to argue that she and Sophia were the lucky ones, but he was already snoring right there on the carpet…


End file.
